New Haven officials move to nix landfill deal, but company plans to move forward

10:27 PM, August 14, 2013

Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Hundreds attend meeting about proposed landfill: Hundreds people attended a contentious meeting Wednesday about a proposed landfill in the New Haven area. Ann Zaniewski/Detroit Free Press

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A waste management company still plans to build a landfill near New Haven despite a vote by village officials to nix the deal.

The trustees’ unanimous decision Tuesday to rescind their earlier support of a host community agreement was based on overwhelming public opposition to the project, village Trustee Jaremy Davis said.

But Joe Munem, spokesman for Rizzo Environmental Services, the company behind the landfill, said the agreement remains valid and the project is moving forward.

“We’re still planning to build the landfill,” he said Wednesday. “Whether or not the taxpayers in New Haven have any benefit from the landfill is now an issue we’re exploring because of (the trustees’) vote last night.”

He also said Rizzo will be “exploring our options” following the decision.

Rizzo wants to construct the 316-acre landfill, which could be expanded to more than 600 acres, between 27 and 28 Mile roads, east of Gratiot. Village trustees and the village president approved the host community agreement for the project with a 5-2 vote in July.

Public outcry followed. Hundreds of people packed a contentious town hall meeting last week, with residents voicing concerns about pollution, noise, truck traffic and the project’s impact on health and property values. The issue also sparked a recall effort.

The agreement calls for Rizzo to pay New Haven a royalty of $1 per ton of trash, also known as a host fee, which would increase up to 5% annually to reflect inflation. Rizzo also would give the village $750,000 in advance that the company would later recoup from future host fees. There would be other benefits for the village as well, including free waste collection and disposal for residents for 10 years.

The cash-strapped village would receive an estimated $1.5 million to $3 million annually under the plan, Village President Jammie Kincaid said last week.

Davis said the trustees’ vote Tuesday, which was cast over the objections of the village attorney, voided the agreement, making it unclear whether the village will reap any benefits from the project.

“The lack of a host agreement doesn’t prohibit (Rizzo) from going forward,” Davis said. “There is a possibility that a landfill will go there and we will make zero dollars based off the decision last night, and I would hate to see that happen. … But the people said they didn’t want it, and I’m here to represent the people and be their voice.”